When it comes to horror, Netflix is not necessarily the best streaming service. Sure, it has some outstanding content and original films, like the Fear Street Trilogy, The Platform, and CAM, but if you are looking for horror in abundance, the streaming giant has not always been the best for fans of the genre. That is why when a movie gets added that has a deserved hype behind it, there is a reason to celebrate; especially when it lands just in time for the coming month of Halloween-focused viewings.

Currently, Evil Dead Rise rests at an impressive 84% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, and 76% on the popcorn meter. However, this is just scratching the surface of what makes the gory, supernatural horror movies such a gem worthy of your time. We will look at what makes the entry into the Evil Dead franchise hype-worthy and why you need to check it out now that it has landed on Netflix.

Evil Comes Home in Evil Dead Rise

After opening with some chaos in a lakeside cabin, Evil Dead Rise traces the roots of that encounter back to a condemned apartment building with a few scant occupants. This includes Ellie, a single mother living with her three children: Danny, Bridget, and Kassie. When Ellie’s sister Beth comes to visit, she is greeted by an earthquake at the complex that opens up into a secret room containing the infamous Necronomicon. After reading from the book, Ellie becomes possessed and turns into a demonic undead (deadite), and begins to terrorize her family. It is up to Beth to try to protect her nieces from the evil force that is now making its way through the building.

The fifth installment in the Evil Dead franchise, made famous by Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell, whose portrayal of Ash Williams has become synonymous with the franchise, Evil Dead Rise saw a fresh cast and crew take on the legacy of demonic, chaotic evil. In this entry, the deadites set themselves on terrorizing a tight-knit family unit with their own personal struggles hanging over their lives in a rundown apartment complex.

This includes Alyssa Sutherland as Elsie, Lily Sullivan as Beth, Mirabai Pease as Teresa, Gabrielle Echols as Bridget, and Nell Fisher as Kassie. The movie was directed by Lee Cronin, who impressed horror fans with his previous film Hole in the Ground and is currently working on a yet-titled Blumhouse horror movie.

The Evil Dead Franchise Remains Strong

There are plenty of beloved horror franchises, with each having its own merits and strong entries into the series that have given it staying power. However, few have delivered as consistently as The Evil Dead; with the first three movies, The Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2, and Army of Darkness, considered classics; the 2013 remake is held in high regard for its modern, gristly take; Ash vs The Evil Dead developed a cult following that has gone beyond the show’s 3 Seasons.

On the screen, Evil Dead has left an impressive legacy, but it has also thrived through comics, video games, and tie-ins with other series. As far as delivering consistent quality, Evil Dead beats out heavy hitters like Halloween, Hellraiser, and Child’s Play.

“I know now that my wife has become host to a Kandarian demon. I fear that the only way to stop those possessed by the spirits of the book is through the act of… bodily dismemberment.” Voice Recording in The Evil Dead (1981)

This is part of what feeds into the success of Evil Dead Rise and why it is such a perfect and hype-worthy addition to the Netflix catalog. Yes, Lee Cronin offered his own take on the genre and gave it a modern shine to make it theater ready, but the movie still pays homage to its groundbreaking ’80s B-movie roots.

Evil Dead Rise injects a lot of dark humor fans of the franchise will be familiar with, an abundance of gore, and a wonderfully dark rendition of the deadites, who like to play with their prey by using head games. As such, fans of the franchise can include it in the rotation with the other films, or watch it solo, and it still captures that gleefully chaotic battle with evil that has made the franchise so beloved by fans.

Evil Dead Rise Arrival on Netflix Is Perfectly Timed

With October on the horizon and so many fans of horror getting their 31 days of movies planned out, the arrival of Evil Dead Rise on Netflix could not be better timed. The movie delivers all the elements you would want from a Halloween-themed watch, jump scares, dark comedy, amazing practical effects (blood elevator anyone?) and a tie-in with a beloved franchise. Even if you are coming to the movie after the sppoky season, having Evil Dead Rise available on Netflix also makes it easy to access if you want to binge the entire franchise.

For those looking to do just that, Evil Dead Rise is now available on Netflix, but you can also check out the rest of the films as follows:

Movie Year Where to Stream The Evil Dead 1981 AMC+ Evil Dead II 1987 Indieflex or Plex Army of Darkness 1992 Prime Video Evil Dead 2013 Max Ash Vs. Evil Dead 2015-2018 Starz